1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to kinetic energy storage systems for use in moving vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to energy storage systems utilizing an arrangement of three counter-rotating pairs of electro-mechanical flywheels for reducing and minimizing gyroscopic effects upon the moving vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
While flywheels are well known in the art, there has been very little application of flywheels in moving vehicles. Some flywheels have been used in automobile engines to smooth out the pulses of energy provided by the exploding gases in the cylinders and to provide energy for the compression stroke of the pistons. However, flywheels have seldom been used for storage of kinetic energy within the automobile.
The reason for the lack of usage of flywheels as kinetic energy storers in automobiles has been the gyroscopic effect of the flywheel upon the maneuverability of the vehicle. A spinning flywheel produces a strong gyroscopic effect; in other words, the flywheel strongly opposes the turning of the vehicle. This gyroscopic effect is magnified where the flywheel is either large or spinning at high speeds.
It is highly desirable to utilize flywheel systems to store kinetic energy in moving vehicles since they can be loaded and energy drawn many times. For example, a train equipped with a kinetic energy storing flywheel could conserve a significant portion of that energy which was lost upon stopping the train. Similarly, the energy wasted in stopping an automobile could also be conserved and applied to accelerating the automobile or supplying the automobile with electrical power. Such a kinetic energy storage system could have vast applications in the fields of electric automobiles, hybrid automobiles, or other electrically powered vehicles.
The gyroscopic effect of a single flywheel arrangement clearly prohibits its widespread use as a kinetic energy storer in vehicles. If a single flywheel system were used to store much of the kinetic energy lost during the stoppage of a train, then the gyroscopic effect of the spinning flywheel could cause a train to derail every time it would go around a curve. Thus, it would be desirable to use a flywheel kinetic energy storing system without having to endure the undesirable characteristics of the gyroscopic effect.
One significant effort to achieve these benefits was found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,015, which issued on Feb. 5, 1985, to the present inventor. This device was a flywheel device for a moving vehicle that comprised a plurality of flywheel systems connected in such a manner as to minimize the gyroscopic effects of the flywheels. The flywheels were arranged such that they spin in axes that are ninety degrees from each other. In one embodiment of the invention, this was accomplished by attaching each flywheel to a separate shaft extending through opposing sides of a closed container. One shaft extends from the top to the bottom, another from side to side along the length of the enclosure, and the third from side to side along the width of the enclosure. Each of the shafts is freely rotatable within a ball bearing arrangement mounted in each side of the enclosure. The shafts are geared into one another such that the equally sized flywheels will spin at the same rate. This patent further proposed an alternative embodiment in which each of the flywheels was the rotor in an electric motor. The flywheel-rotor included integrated windings, magnets, and stator cores. Additionally, other techniques can be used such as hydraulic motor generators or pneumatic motor generators. The axes of these motors are arranged so as to be ninety degrees from each other. The electric motors were rigidly attached at a central area between them.
Unfortunately, this arrangement of flywheels was often difficult to configure so that all of the gyroscopic effects were eliminated. After a great deal of experimentation, it was found that the rotational movement of the flywheel, along each of the axes, still contributed gyroscopic effects. As such, a solution needed to be found as to how the minimize the gyroscopic effects along each axis.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/304,520, filed on Sep. 12, 1994, by the present inventor, and entitled “FLYWHEEL ENERGY STORAGE APPARATUS”, now abandoned, a system was described which minimizes gyroscopic effects from the rotational movement of the flywheels. In particular, this system is an energy storage apparatus that has a housing, a pair of flywheels rotatable about a first axis within the housing, a second pair of flywheels rotatable about a second axis within the housing, a third pair of flywheels rotatable about a third axis within the housing, and an energy input means connected to at least one of the flywheels for initiating and maintaining rotational movement of the flywheels. An output energy device serves to convert the rotation of the flywheels into potential energy. Each of the first pair of flywheels rotates in opposite directions. Each of the second pair of flywheels is rotatable in opposite directions. Finally, each of the third pair of flywheels is rotatable in opposite directions. Each of the axes of the flywheel pairs are perpendicular to each other.
In this system, the energy input means was a motor-generator connected to each of the flywheels of the first, second and third pairs. Each of the flywheels has a shaft which extends centrally therefrom. The shaft is rotatable with the rotation of each of the flywheels. The motor-generator is connected to the shaft. In this system, the housing has a configuration of a sealed cube. Each of the flywheels is located adjacent a side of the cube. The housing has an interior which is maintained in a vacuum condition.
After experiments with that invention, it was found that these inventions strongly minimized the gyroscopic effects of the flywheels in the system. However, in actual use, there was the danger of injury caused by the flywheels spinning at a high speed. Under certain circumstances, in the event of an automobile accident or a collision when the flywheel disintegrates or bursts, pieces of the flywheel could come off of the spinning flywheel. The high speed at which the flywheel rotated created a dangerous condition whereby the flying pieces became the equivalent of flying shrapnel. As such, a need developed so as to create such an energy storage apparatus in which each of the flywheel components would automatically brake in the event of a collision.
It is further noted that with these prior systems, it is important to be able, under certain circumstances, to absorb the energy produced by such an apparatus. Adverse effects could be created by rigidly and fixedly mounting the housing of such an energy storage apparatus directly to a vehicle. The strong forces imparted by such a device could damage the structural integrity of the vehicle. Additionally, the flywheels housed in a cubic frame, when used in vehicles, are subject to possible disintegration or damage due to road shock and vibration. Such road shocks and vibrations must be absorbed in order to reduce any threat of damage to the flywheels, especially at higher vehicle and flywheel speeds. As such, a need developed so as to be able to reduce the shock and fatigue caused by the energy from road vibration and the shocks of bumps, holes and rocks as received by the vehicle during the normal driving movement of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,671, issued on May 15, 2001 to the present inventor, describes such a flywheel energy storage apparatus with a braking capability. Additionally, the patent addressed the problems of shock and fatigue, as well as the danger of shrapnel. The apparatus is designed for a vehicle that has a housing resiliently mounted in the vehicle. The apparatus has thee pluralities of flywheels rotatable about separate axes within the housing. There is an energy input mechanism connected to one of the flywheels for initiating and maintaining rotational movement of the flywheels. An output mechanism converts the rotation of the flywheels into potential energy. Each of the flywheels of the first, second and third pairs are rotatable in opposite directions. Each of the axes are perpendicular to each other. A cradle is connected to the vehicle so as to receive the housing within the cradle. The flywheel system is designed to be safe, yet portable, as an electro-mechanical battery. The housing is in the shape of a cube. The housing has a braking capability, and is designed so as to reduce the amount of shrapnel released in the event of an accident. The integrity of the flywheel system was accomplished through the use of a stainless steel mesh formed around the housing. Additionally, a latex layer was formed beneath the stainless steel mesh, which added to both the strength and flexibility of the flywheel system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an energy storage apparatus which reduces and minimizes gyroscopic effects.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a long life energy storage apparatus that can be utilized within vehicles without diminishing the maneuverability of the vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an energy storage apparatus that allows for the production of electrical energy, rather than mechanical energy.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a flywheel energy storage apparatus which minimizes interior friction.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flywheel energy storage device which reduces the potential for damage and destruction in the event of an accident or in the event of a damaging occurrence.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a flywheel energy storage apparatus which reduces the effect of road shock and vibration upon the flywheel system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flywheel system which operates with other flywheel systems, other batteries or other engines.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.